A medical apparatus is often used by a patient that has lost some functionality of one or both of their legs. An orthosis may be used to control, guide, limit and/or immobilize an extremity, joint or body segment for a particular reason; to restrict movement in a given direction; to assist movement generally; to reduce weight bearing forces for a particular purpose; to aid rehabilitation from fractures after the removal of a cast; and/or to otherwise correct the shape and/or function of the body to provide easier movement capability or reduce pain.
An obstacle in orthosis design is to provide the patient with a natural gait. The patient often needs assistance moving the limb that has lost some functionality. Additionally, each patient's natural gait may differ from another patient's gait, each requiring a different response from the orthosis during movement. Finally, as a patient has their functionality improve or worsen, the patient may need to adjust the orthosis to maintain their natural gait.